Ritz puts on sweet show with Gingerbread Spectacular

A mermaid gets a visit from her sea creature pals in the Ritz-Carlton's Gingerbread Spectacular, which depicts an underwater world made of sweets. DAVID BRO, FOR THE REGISTER

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A spiny box puffer fish appears to swim above the sea floor in the Gingerbread Spectacular at the Ritz-Carlton in Dana Point. DAVID BRO, FOR THE REGISTER

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Vickee Liang, 32, of Irvine gets her picture taken by Vivian Liang, 22, of New York City in front of the Ritz-Carlton resort's Gingerbread Spectacular on Saturday evening in Dana Point. DAVID BRO, FOR THE REGISTER

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A swashbuckling minion from "Despicable Me" frolics on the bowsprit of a sunken ship in The Ritz-Carlton's Gingerbread Spectacular. DAVID BRO, FOR THE REGISTER

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It looks like the Grinch is in charge of the Yappy Hour holiday sled in The RItz-Carlton's candy creation. Yappy Hour is the resort's monthly spring/summer cocktail party for dogs and their owners. DAVID BRO, FOR THE REGISTER

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A clownfish swims across a candy coral reef in the Gingerbread Spectacular at The Ritz-Carlton resort in Dana Point. DAVID BRO, FOR THE REGISTER

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Jennifer, 5, and Lauren Kausch, 3, of Dana Point check out the Gingerbread Spectacular at The Ritz-Carlton resort. DAVID BRO, FOR THE REGISTER

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Bruce from "Finding Nemo" is all smiles in The RItz-Carlton's Gingerbread Spectacular, which also is made of doughnuts, cream puffs, cookies, candy and many other sweet treats. DAVID BRO, FOR THE REGISTER

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A lobster staffs the Surfers Healing beach shack among his mermaids, a penguin, a gingerbread man and a tricky seal. Surfers Healing provides surf camps for autistic children. DAVID BRO, FOR THE REGISTER

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These characters are as wide-eyed as many of the guests at The Ritz-Carlton in Dana Point as they encountered the resort's sweet undersea creation. DAVID BRO, FOR THE REGISTER

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A mermaid hangs out on her clamshell throne at The Ritz-Carlton in Dana Point. DAVID BRO, FOR THE REGISTER

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Socks for Heroes are hung out to dry along a sea floor made of crushed graham crackers. Socks for Heroes is a San Clemente Marine Corps Support Group program that sends socks to troops deployed in Afghanistan. DAVID BRO, FOR THE REGISTER

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Crush from "Finding Nemo" cruises among candy coral reefs in The RItz-Carlton's Gingerbread Spectacular. DAVID BRO, FOR THE REGISTER

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Marlie, 6, and Josh Montoya, 9, who were in from San Jose to visit family in Dana Point, hold a candy fish and seashell at The Ritz-Carlton's Gingerbread Spectacular. DAVID BRO, FOR THE REGISTER

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A fish swims in the undersea world of sweets at The Ritz-Carlton resort in Dana Point. DAVID BRO, FOR THE REGISTER

There’s a new work of art at The Ritz-Carlton resort in Dana Point, depicting an underwater world filled with movie, cartoon and other characters – like “Finding Nemo” but with a very sweet twist.

The Gingerbread Spectacular, on display through Dec. 31, is made of gingerbread, doughnuts, sugar cubes, waffles, pretzels, cream puffs, rolls, cookies, crackers, cereal, macaroons, dried fruit, chocolate shavings and candy. Parts of it illustrate local causes and activities such as Surfers Healing, Fishing for Second Harvest, Operation Helping Hands, Yappy Hour, Socks for Heroes, Be the Miracle, Orange County Rescue Mission and Father Serra's Pantry.

Opening-day visitors Saturday somehow resisted the urge to dive in and take a bite of the scrumptious scene, which took the resort’s pastry team more than 400 hours to create.

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